02-27-14, 06:06 PM | #421 |
Uber EcoRenovator
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Just for a little comparison our home is about 3600 sq ft. and 2 x 6 construction wrapped in a layer of 2" foam with stucco finish and well sealed. The home is heated in floor with a 6" concrete slab and all covered with tile.
Geo thermal and solar hot water. $280.00 per month (4 month winter) for electricity to operate the Geo thermal heat pumps. The cons: lots of glass, Expansive glass block wall (R3/4) Open space lots of wind. The pro: Oil heat would have been $6100.00 Awesome work Vlad Randen Last edited by randen; 02-27-14 at 06:17 PM.. |
02-28-14, 01:50 AM | #422 | ||
Apprentice EcoRenovator
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Location: Windsor ON Canada
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Quote:
Quote:
It is hard to estimate because we use a lot of gas for cooking cloth drying water heating etc. 4 adults and 2 toddlers..... On average during heating season it adds about $70 max to gas bill |
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03-29-14, 01:40 PM | #423 |
Master EcoRenovator
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I have designed & installed 2 working radiant floor systems. Both at 8,500' altitude zone 5, high winds often in Winter.
1st in in my current house, The upper 2 levels (2,000ft2) is heated via suspended 1/2" pex 8" OC under sub-floors. 2 runs between 16" OC TJI floor joyce. At bottom of 4" air gap below pex I have Reflectex, then sheetrock for ceiling below. Roof is about R50 on average, walls R35, windows are tripple pane argon filled + outside 1/4" tempered storm windows (due to wind gusts >125mph) The 3rd level is 1,020ft2 basement which is 5' below grade, 3' above. Walls are sheetrocked R18 ICF. Slab floor is insulated underneath with 4" XPS. Enough heat comes down through ceiling in Winter to keep basement @ 64*+-2*F This system works well @ design temp. of 0*F & wind of 50mph. Using about 20MBH (20Kbtus) My 40MBH boiler runs at about 50% duty cycle at design conditions. All floors are tile & surface temps. never go above 75*F. This requires 145*F hydronic water temps at design, my LP boiler does not condense so it works just about as Eff. @ 180*F as it does at 130*F. BUT, I wouldn't do suspended pex subfloor heat again. 2nd house is my neighbors 3,500ft2 log home, did this one with pex in concrete slab with 2" XPS under, he is penny-wise pound-foolish & this is all he would pop for. His house is pooly insulated & has major air infiltration in wind, I don't realy know if he payed off building inspector? His condensing (marginally) 150MBH boiller keeps up but he has to overheat his hickory flooring. He use about 4-5X LP vs my house. BBP Last edited by buffalobillpatrick; 03-30-14 at 02:40 PM.. |
03-30-14, 02:37 PM | #424 |
Master EcoRenovator
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A/C, I don't recall if you have implimented your radiant floor yet?
Your last post regarding build-up seems like it was months ago. The build-up & close spacing looked "GREAT" to me for your situation & requirements. You will have slightly less heat transfer than if imbedded in concrete, but will have an advantage of quicker responce to changing weather. Any updates? |
03-31-14, 12:31 AM | #425 | |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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This week's victory was putting in a pretty high performance window with triple glass and double low E. I have also reduced the glass area of the room, possibly more than I anticipated. My decision to do built up is based on the fact that my house is very old (120 years), and the foundation is not the best (basalt rock & river sand mortar). I did a calculation that 1.5" on my 12' x12' room would weigh 2700 pounds, which I'm not comfortable with... gypcrete wouldn't save much weight at all. So, built-up will be the way for me. I sure have thought about it, and a wet system would be cheaper and quicker, and maybe even more efficient. So, I have been watching Daox's office project (which is similar to Vlad's). I really like how he's going about it, and mine is going to be along the same lines. My strategy is to increase the R-value under the floor and decrease the R-value on top of the floor. Best, -AC
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03-31-14, 05:46 AM | #426 |
Master EcoRenovator
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AC, gypcrete is 40% less weight than concrete and 2700lbs is diddly if your joists are not at their limits. Unless you really know that the stones are in a precarious state, I wouldn't worry too much.
I'm looking at buying a 175 year old house built on stone with what they call a "flow through" foundation. A river seems to run through it at some times of the year but nothing has moved upstairs. The walls and door frames are all straight. It is not recommended to use regular concrete under less than 2" BTW (if that is what you were thinking). |
03-31-14, 07:27 AM | #427 |
DIY Guy
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Mikesolar, is that rec on regular concrete in regard to radiant efficiencies or structural( like cracking) do you know?
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03-31-14, 11:18 AM | #428 |
Master EcoRenovator
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I have read about DIY light weight mud: As I recall, you substitute pearlite for the gravel.
Lowe's sells pearlite in bags fairly cheep. http://www.perlite.org/library-perli...e-Concrete.pdf More perlite % = lower weight/strength/thermal conduction Last edited by buffalobillpatrick; 03-31-14 at 11:50 AM.. |
03-31-14, 11:33 AM | #429 |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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Correct me if I'm wrong here...
Density of gypcrete is 110 lb/cu ft Density of concrete is 150 lb/cu ft Density difference = 150 - 110 = 40 lb/cu ft percent difference = (40/150) * 100 = 27% Where did I make a mistake? Gypcrete would have to have a density of 90 lb/cu ft. to be 40% lighter. -AC
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03-31-14, 11:56 AM | #430 | |
Supreme EcoRenovator
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Quote:
I'm seeing perlite touted as a thermal insulator. Shouldn't I be going the other way with a radiant surface? -AC
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Tags |
diy, heat pump, hydronic, pex, radiant |
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